My Land are the latest addition to our unsigned band section. I first became aware of the name My Land when I contacted singer Guido Priori in relation to his Journey tribute CD (which can be read via this link). Although Guido Priori sings vocals on this album he does not write the song, that honour instead falling to drummer Paolo Morbini, who was a member of Brunorock who put out an album a few years ago via MTM.  The band list their influences as Journey, Toto and Survivor and the deliver exactly what is written on the tin. I can say it sounds Journey circa Raised On Radio era, with lots of Toto and west coast influences as well as a little prog on the extend keyboard bits. I like! 

The album opens with 'Love In Chains' that really is very Journey influenced whereas second track in, 'Tears Don’t Say Goodbye', highlights the band's Toto influences. Great musicianship, from all the guys with great, varied vocals from Guido. Track 3 opens with an almost Strangeways style opening courtesy of the great guitar and keyboard interplay. and then 'Stranger In A Lonely Town kicks off with some mass vocals, very House of Shakira before the keyboards and take over in that great AOR style   Easily my favourite track on the album. 

Tackling tracks five and seven together, as Fbares (The Captain) appears to the original instrumental version of 'Be Mine Tonight.' Whilst the latter is not a bad AOR song the instrumental version sounds more like an intro to a daytime quiz show. Lads Instrumentals are cool at the right time but slap bang in the middle of an AOR album is not the place, lose it A.S.A.P.

 The prog influences of My Land are most notably seen on 'Love Is Something Crazy' and work extremely well, whereas 'Take My Heart' is more a song that was designed to be played live and yet again showcases the influence Toto has had on My Land's music. Anoth instrumental then makes it's presence felt, this time the weirdly titled 'Pizza Mafia E Mandolino' and this time, as well as being a fine piece of music,  is the correct place this  near the end of the album and hence doesn't spoil the follow of the album.

Rounding things out is the acoustic ballad 'Under The Sky' very much in the style os say 'Every Rose has It's Thorn'. Although the band offer nothing “new” to offer, they are very good at what they do, that is catchy entraining fairly laid back AOR and with the added interest of the  guitar/keyboard interplay on offer this may broaden the bands appeal beyond the pure AOR market. The only negative points to the package I would make are: 

• Whilst vocalist Guido Priori has a very strong voice and uses it well throughout the album  I would perhaps lose the occasional lapses into the more Geddy Lee influenced styings, but then again Rush have sold how many albums? 

• The album will likely have limited appeal outside of the AOR underground unfortunately as the guys are all very talented, but this obviously the music they enjoy playing.

• Move the bloody instrumentals to the back end of the album as they spoil the flow.

All in all a very credible effort from My Land and an album that certainly is deserving of the band landing a deal with one of the  the melodic rock labels out there

The band are currently working on their website which will be found via www.mylandproject.com when it is completed

Line Up

Guido Priori - Vocals
Marco Andreasi - Guitars
Stefano Andreas - Keyboards
Adalberto Rizzoli - Bass
Paolo Morbini - Drums

Tracks Reviewed

Love in chains
Tears don’t say goodbye
Lost in the rain.
Stranger in a lonely town.
Fbares (The captain)
Love is something crazy.
Be mine tonight
Take my heart.
Pizza mafia e mandolino
under the sky